State directs DoP to ensure strict compliance of pension rules

THREE-MEMBER COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED FOR SWIFT SETTLEMENT OF CASES
GANGTOK, 08 Oct: The State government appears piqued at the ‘unauthorized’ withdrawal of pensions by (ex) government employees and has now stamped its foot down on what can be termed as pecuniary loss to the state exchequer due to this.
In a stern move, the Department of Personnel has been charged with strict compliance of this aspect of the right to withhold pension on the part of the government. In fact a 3-member committee has been constituted in the department headed by the Special Secretary to “...ensure strict compliance of Chapter VII of Sikkim Service (Pension) Rules, 1990...”
The committee has been especially constituted to deal with the settlement of retirement benefits pertaining to Group ‘B’ employees and above and also officials posted at the Department of Personnel. The government has gone so far as to hold the committee to account for any delay in settling of retirement cases in the prescribed time limit.
There have been grievances voiced by employees that retirement benefits are not processed in due time and that there is an ‘inadvertent’ time gap before which they can access their due pension benefits. In fact this has been a standing grievance of ex-employees for a long time now and which had not been responded to with any positive action by the government till now.
Taking the bull by the horns the government has directed that “... the Committee shall be responsible for any delay on the part of the department for not settling the retirement cases in prescribed time limit and liable for appropriate action deemed fit for such omission”.
On the other hand the committee has been ordered to ensure strict compliance with Chapter VII of the Pension Rules. As per this section the government reserves the right of withholding or withdrawing a pension or gratuity of part thereof and also of ordering recovery from a pension or gratuity of any pecuniary loss to the government. This particularly refers to those cases where there are departmental or judicial proceedings in which the pensioner has been found guilty of grave misconduct during the period of his service rendered upon re-employment after retirement.
Interestingly, as per the rules, a Class I officer taking up commercial employment within 2 years of his/ her retirement and without prior permission of government can be disallowed his pension. If such a person has acquired prior permission and is drawing higher salary than at the time of his retirement his pension is liable to be reduced and rendered inadmissible for the period of his employment.
Also in the committee are the Joint Secretary and Under Secretary of the concerned sections.  The Office Superintendent / Head Assistant of the concerned section shall assist the committee.